Bold, different and daring yet in the same breath it almost feels quiet, understated and timeless. How can this be? This is exactly what we felt as we walked into this deVOL Shaker Kitchen. An Edwardian house on the outskirts of London, this was the home of a very chic and lovely French lady and her husband. The whole house was filled with delightful objects that I’m sure were a lifetime of collecting, it’s always the personal unique things that make a kitchen feel extra special.

This room was not originally the kitchen, but choosing this light filled space to become the new kitchen was such a great decision, previously it had been situated at the side of the house in a darker long room which just wasn’t the kind of place you could entertain and just enjoy spending time in. The new room had really substantial original features that just made it feel grown-up and proper, wonderful high ceilings and heavy coving, big wide doors and sash windows and a beautifully weathered wooden floor with the shine of time giving it an authentic feel. The wall of fitted cupboards included a double pantry, full height fridge and freezer and cupboard storage, hiding away your appliances really gives the room a more furnished feel, less like a kitchen and more a living space, this certainly makes a kitchen more a living part of your home and the centre of the action rather than an afterthought or a place for doing chores. The table and chairs, the cut glass decanters and silver sugar bowl made this kitchen feel grand and important, the coloured cupboards, the bold tiles and the glamorous lighting were more playful, the mix worked perfectly. French doors led out onto a large wild and very pretty garden that was so private and sunny, you couldn’t have begun to imagine you were only few miles from central London, what a special place.